B-17 Flying Fortress WW2 Airplane Books and Historical Books.

A reprint of the official government handbook designed to show new cadets how to  fly the aircraft. Heavily illustrated with all the data. 109 pgs., 8½"x 11", sfbd.

.....#0001408

Book Description 
Flak at 12 O'clock is about a Kansas farm boy's teenage experiences that lead to his becoming a co-pilot of a B-17 in the 8th Air Force  during the final months of World War II. He describes his adventures as an Aviation Cadet that lead to his assignment, the blunders of superior officers and his reasons for giving up a career in the Air Force. 

This book is no longer available.

This is the full story of the "Fort", from its early beginnings, through its  seven major variants and the various experimental and special versions. With over  200 historic photographs, many of which are previously unpublished, this is a fitting  tribute to one of the finest aircraft of World War Two. 192 pgs., 8½"x 11", hdbd

Book Description 
                     Rare vignettes and little-known facts punctuate this fond look back at the symbol of American victory in World War II Europe. Features 150 black and white photos, including some that have never been seen before--until now. Gorgeous 8-page color photo insert complements eye-opening details about the people, the missions, the production, and the development of the B-17. 

This book is no longer available.

Here is the first book ever  dedicated solely to the B-17 in the Pacific. It tells not only the history of the plane,  but of the men who flew her, fought in her, serviced her and lived with her. Drawing on primary sources, including letters, diaries, government documents and squadron  histories, the author weaves together the history of the operations and the story of  the men in the air and on the ground. 384 pgs., 6½"x 9¼", hdbd.

Auth:     David C Isby
Pub:      Harper Collins 1999
ISBN:    0 00 472240 X
I've just read this excellent book, that should be included on your list.

Memoirs of an Eighth Air Force B-17 navigator's thirty missions over Fortress Europe with the 303rd Bomb Group, 1943-1944. Fleming’s personal account gives new insight into what it was like to put one's life on the line against Hitler's best during the bloody air actions during early Spring 1944. 142 pgs., 30 photos,  4½"x 6½", sfbd.  .....#0001394

This Book is no longer available.

There is no such thunder in history as the deep-throated  roar of the mighty, four-engined B-17s that streamed across the skies in WWII. Here  you'll see a vanished era and a gallant plane - one that could absorb thousands of enemy bullets, fly with no rudder, and complete its mission on two engines. A plane  that Americans flew in Europe and the Pacific. A plane that proved itself in every  combat theater as the greatest heavy bomber of WWII. 320 pgs., 5¼"x 8¼", sfbd.

The crew of Hell's Angels, a B-17 from the 303rd Bombardment Group,  was the first in the 8th Air Force to complete 25 missions. Now, meet these men and experience the total 48 missions they flew! You will also learn how the entire 303rd became known as Hell's Angels, the first heavy bombardment group to complete 300  missions from American bases in England. 128 pgs., approx. 200 B&W photos, 6½"x   9¼", sfbd......#0005673

In June 1943, the quiet English countryside around the village of Ridgewell was transformed by the arrival of  the 381st Bomb Group with its B-17 Flying Fortresses. The subsequent battle in the skies over Europe witnessed the 381st, in concert with their fellow airmen of the "Mighty Eighth," striking 297 times at Hitler's "Fortress Europe." Here is the story of  that 1,000 day fiercely contested struggle. 240 pgs., 350+ photos, 8½"x 11", hdbd......#0005289

An Air Force lead navigator's engrossing account of the lives and heroics of the airmen whose 2000-aircraft formations bombed Western  Europe during World War II.  They began operations out of England in the spring of '43. They flew their "Flying Fortresses" almost daily against strategic targets in Europe in the name of freedom. Their astonishing courage and appalling losses earned them the name that resounds in the annals of aerial  warfare and made the "Bloody Hundredth" a legend. 

Price:

$25.95

Nate Saint : On a Wing and a Prayer 
(Christian Heroes, Then & Now)
by Janet Benge, Geoff Benge

A biography of the American pilot who served Christian missionaries in Ecuador's jungles until his death at the hands of Auca Indians in 1956. 

This book is all about a Christian man that gave his love of flying planes to God. This inspirational story about Nate Saint tells of his life, from his childhood, to his tragic death in Ecuador. Nate was actually a martyr for God. By the death of his friends and himself, he actually opened up the door for others to minister to the savage Auca tribe. This is a wonderful book, I highly recommend it!

Book is Not Available At This Time.

Astor, a journalist and narrator of popular World War II historical subjects, has combed the latest published memoirs and collected numerous oral interviews to assemble what will probably be the best eyewitness account of the daytime air raids over German-occupied Europe. Besides the usual recollections of bomber and fighter pilots, he also presents the viewpoints of the air gunners and mechanics, bombardiers, and navigators who fought alongside them. Best of all, Astor has the Ernie Pyle-like knack of presenting his subjects as distinct personalities who stay in the reader's mind. The book is intelligently organized, systematically following the Eighth from its hesitant beginnings to its climax as a combat juggernaut, all the while keeping its story in perspective with the larger picture of the European war. The result is a compelling document of the air war. Recommended for all public and academic collections.?Raymond L. Puffer, Edwards AFB, Cal.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.--
   

The B-17 has come to epitomize the American war effort in Europe, and the  "Mighty Eighth" controlled no fewer than 27 bomb groups through much of the war. Evolution of the force is traced through first hand accounts of individuals who took  part in the action. Features period images of aircraft and aircrews, as well as 30  color profiles of aircraft from each air group of the 1st Air Division. 112 pgs., 7¼"x  9¾", sfbd......#0005086

The author painted and wrote  this one-of-a-kind record of his WWII experiences. He was a B-25 pilot in the famous  Doolittle bombing raid over Tokyo in 1942. Later, Axis gunners shot down his plane over Italy. Evading capture for more than six months, he wound up a German POW. But Doolittle's B-17s safely brought out his logbook and art, making this new work  possible. 280 pgs. with the author's own art. 10 ½"x 9", hdbd......#0005825

B-17 Flying Fortress : 
A Bombing Legend (Osprey Color Library) 
 Michael O'Leary / Paperback / Published 1992 

Book Description
The symbol of the United States Army Air Force in Europe, the B-17 Flying Fortress is arguably the most famous American Bomber. In this book, packed  with lavish color photographs, Michael O'Leary presents a pictorial account of those B-17s kept flying today by a hard core army of devoted followers.

From the Publisher The top class photography showcased in the Osprey Color Classics series offers a superb insight into the appearance and deployment of a wide range of civil and military machines. 
   ISBN: 1855321971 

Book Description
The B-17 Flying Fortress – the most successful US bomber of the Second World War Full design, production and modification record Extensively illustrated  Operational history of every individual aircraft--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author
As a boy, Roger Freeman watched from his father's farm as the 8th Air Force took off for its missions over Germany; he has had a lifelong interest in the Mighty Eighth ever since, and now lectures on USAAF history, both here and in America. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this  title. 

   ISBN: 1854093010 

Northern California Chapter, American Aviation Historical Society, 1994
The Boeing PB-1W and PB-1G until now have been little known to us. (The author) brings us the historical, technological and tactical concepts, developments and operations of these two unique models of the Boeing B-17. (The author) has done his research well. The book is interesting reading and most enjoyable. You learn a great deal more than just statements of facts for the author explains the services' logic in the development and deployment of these aircraft. I award (the author) "Five Stars" fo r this work-get it! 

Fly Past Magazine, November 1994
"B-17 In Blue" comes from the authoritative pen of Scott Thompson and deals deeply with the PB-1 -the Flying Fortress in service with the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. 
 

ISBN: 0963754335

Book Description 
The second of the Legends of the Air series which narrates the operational and development histories of the most important strategic bombers of WW2. Features of Legends of the Air Volume 2 include approximately 70,000 words detailing the three famous bombers, 48 specially commissioned color side view drawings, specification and production tables, maps of areas of operations, and hundreds of  photographs. 

 Boeing made reality the operational concept of strategic bombing with the B-17 Flying Fortress. In combat, the B-17 had to fight a difficult battle to prove the concept of daylight bombing. In operation through the darkest hours over both Europe and the Pacific, the 17 became the hallmark bomber of WW2 and paved the way for not only for its peers but its successors. 

England meanwhile had in the Lancaster possibly the finest strategic bomber of WW2 on a payload/range basis and chose a different  operational path than the Americans in optimizing their aircraft for night operations against Germany. The development and operational  record of this fine aircraft is fully detailed and backed up by a plethora of never before seen photos and specially commissioned artwork. 

The ultimate heavy bomber of the era was Boeing's B-29. Pressurized, able to fly above the flak, computerized, and armed to the teeth  with automatic defensive .50 guns, the 29 flew missions over distances not even imaginable a decade earlier and ushered in a new era of  large aircraft design that would give birth to both the long range airliners and bombers of the postwar era. 

ISBN-10: 187567117X

Book Description 
                     *130 b/w photos
                     * 8 color photos
                     * 7 x 9 

Boeing's B-17 was the USAAF's primary heavy bomber for the first three years of the war. From the vast production lines at the Boeing,  Douglas and Lockheed Vega plants, to the war-torn skies over Germany and the Pacific islands, the B-17 is seen in all its metallic glory.  Includes an 8-page color section with company advertisements not seen in print since the war. 

From the Publisher
Text outlining aircraft production and history, combined with photography, scale drawings and cutaways and full appendices make these books an invaluable resource for aircraft lovers everywhere.

ISBN-10: 1855328143

This book is crammed full of excerpts from original military tech manuals, overhaul handbooks, flight crew references, and original engineering drawings.  Includes exploded views, cutaways, and two-page insert of color photos. 100 pgs.,  110 photos and 30 diagrams, 8½"x 11", sfbd......#0002697

ISBN-10: 1854094246

Book Description 
As a waist gunner aboard Black Hawk, a B-17 Flying Fortress operating from bases in England, Sgt. Jack Novey, and 18 year-old from  the streets of Chicago, survived some of the most dangerous bombing missions of WWII. Deserves a place among the best memoirs of  the air war against Germany. 42 b&w photos.  ISBN-10: 1574270664

Jack Novey's account of life as a waist gunner aboard the B-17 "Black Hawk" is incredible. He writes with such clarity that you'd swear he just arrived back from the war. The details of the people and things around him conjure up emotions of awesome fear, musty smells and high adventure. It was difficult to put the book down and I was often left sleepless thinking about what I had read. This is by far one of the most engrossing books about WW II I've ever read because it didn't glamorize the war but captured the real life struggles Mr. Novey encountered. Thanks Jack for such a wonderful account of your experience.

The author, Frank Reese Mays frank.mays@gte.net , 

May 27, 1999  After 55 years I've finally told the total story!  I flew 2 combat missions on D-Day 1944 and 33 others. I was not afraid to die for my country but I had a great Guardian Angel that  saved me from not only combat but also my involvement with some young English Ladies. These many years later I wonder what one of  them was all about? The other was fun between missions for a teenage Airman expecting to die at any moment. Read of my buddies I lost  and the horror of war along with some recreation as I tried to forget. 

Complete listing, by aircraft number, of  the service record of the first 300 B-17Fs produced. A great reference with over 130  photos. 64 pgs., 8½"x 11", sfbd.

.....#0001732$9.95

Book Description
The symbol of the United States Army Air Force in Europe, the B-17 Flying Fortress is arguably the most famous American Bomber. In this book, packed with lavish colour photographs, Michael O'Leary presents a pictorial account of those B-17s kept flying today by a hard core army of devoted followers. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher
The top class photography showcased in the Osprey Colour Classics series offers a superb insight into the appearance and deployment of a wide range of civil and military machines. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

No Longer Available.

Battling enemy fighters with grit  and determination, aerial gunners were largely unrecognized. Here are stories of their  bravery, including the tale of a B-17 waist gunner who shot down 7 attacking  German fighters on a single mission, and "Johnny Zero" - B-26 gunner John Foley,  credited with 7 Zero fighters and 8 probable. Stories of celebrities who were gunners  include Clark Gable, Charlton Heston and Paul Newman. 256 pgs., 5¼"x 8", sfbd.

They called it Model 299. That's all! No nickname - not even an official designation for the idea to build a long-range bomber based on the Boeing 247 airliner. Here is the story of the plane that the U.S. at first didn't want! Includes 3-view drawings, 100 period photos, and 10 color profiles. 57 pgs., 11"x 8¼", sfbd......#000404
 

This Book is No Longer Available.

Includes Group, Squadron and aircraft serial number as well as photo  availability. Author's life-long research benefits WWII historians and researchers as well as modelers. Over 8200 Fortresses listed. Includes 32 rare combat photos. 96 pgs., 8½"x 11", sfbd.

The publisher, John F. Welch , July 23, 2000
We have been very pleased by readers' favorable comments. Acclaim for this book has made all the work and expense of producing it very worthwhile. Most laudatory are the comments of those who "were there", and participated in the missions described. Others express gratitude for the sacrifices and dangers borne by the men  who daily went out and got shot at for their country and for all its citizens, but have been reluctant to talk about it all these years. 

ISBN-10: 0963790900

Publisher 
This B-17 book begins where most others conclude. Here, told for the first time in detailed text and rare photos, is the story of the  B-17's post-World War II use in roles never envisioned by its designers: air-sea rescue; airborne radar platforms; weather and photo  reconnaissance; CIA duties; and many more. Those B-17s the military no longer needed are shown in the vast post-war scrap yards,  awaiting the smelter or, for a lucky few, a civil role. The civil B-17 starred in numerous motion pictures and television shows, carried  cargo over the South American Andes, performed for years as air tankers fighting forest fires, and finally was memorialized for the war  fought a half century ago. The complete history of each of the surviving B-17s is told, illustrated with a wide variety of photos. Also  included are detailed appendices with serial numbers, registration numbers, and other details. Great addition to any aviation library. --This  text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. .....#0006071

This Book is No Longer Available.

Traces the history of this B-17 bomb group from training in Texas and Colorado through VE day. The story is typical of so many... If you lived it, it will seem so familiar. If not, here's a chance to learn of the difficult life on the ground and in the air. 64 pgs., 155 color and B&W photos and 25 color profiles. 8½"x 11",  sfbd.

Book Description 
During World War II, the B-17 made its mark in Europe with daring and devastating bombing runs over the heart of German industry. Fans of the B-24 consider it the most important bomber of the War for its large payload and versatility. And the B-29, with its pressurized cabin and remote-control gun turrets, was the ultimate strategic bomber, flying higher, faster, and farther than any of its  counterparts, making it the logical choice for the War-ending flights over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 

Great American Bombers of WWII combines three best-selling MBI Publishing Company aircraft histories into one huge, value-priced volume. The nose art, markings, and camouflage schemes of each of the USAAF's marquee bombers are detailed in archival black-and-white photographs, as well as in rare War-era color photography, making this volume a package any World War II enthusiast  will want for his or her library. 

Book Description 
Classic story of the air war in Europe written by a highly talented author in August 1944 while he was actively participating in the conflict. 

 From the Publisher 
Bert Stiles was a prolific and highly talented writer. While still in college he had several stories published  in the Saturday Evening Post, Colliers and other magazines. He was way ahead of his time. He wrote about The United Nations while it  was still in the planning stage. He wrote about racial inequities and the environment long before such topics were popular. His college classmate Roland Dickison and Robert Cooper have collected many of his manuscripts and published them in separate publications. When we consider that Bert Stiles died at the young age of twenty three, the magnitude and scope of his writing is truly outstanding. 

About the Author <<<----Be Sure to Read This
Bert Stiles was a highly talented writer who flew as a pilot with the United States Army Air Corps. He first flew a tour of duty as a  co-pilot in heavy bombers with the 91st Bomb Group. After completing his tour of duty he volunteered for another tour of duty in fighter aircraft. He was assigned to a P-51 Squadron. However, he took one month off during the late summer of 1944 and wrote Serenade to  the Big Bird. Tragically, three months later he was killed in action on an escort raid to Hanover. His mother recovered the manuscript  from his personal effects an acquired a publisher. Serenade to the Big Bird was first published in 1947. Now in its fifth printing, it has become a classic tale of the air war in Europe. Bert Stiles tells the story as it was, while it was happening. 

The author is buried in the Ardennes Cemetery near Liege Belgium. One hundred four fallen airmen from the 91st Bomb Group are  buried beside Bert Stiles in this military cemetery. Though their lips are stilled, Bert's words live on, and he has become the unofficial spokesman for every one of his fallen comrades. 

Kelly became America's number one hero when his B-17  bombed and sank a Japanese battleship two days after Pearl Harbor. On his return to  base following the attack, his plane was damaged by Japanese fighters, crashed, and  Kelly died in the aircraft. 68 pgs., 37 photos, 8½"x 11", sfbd......#0004657

Print depicts Kelly's B-17 under heavy attack from Zero fighters led by  the ranking Japanese ace, Saburo Sakai. Sakai later said "Out of ammunition, I flew  alongside the B-17 and saw the pilot trying to save the burning aircraft after allowing  his crew to escape. I have tremendous respect for him." Limited edition of 750 signed by artist and the two surviving crew members of Capt. Kelly's B-17C. 33¼"x 25½" print. FREE with purchase: Rising Sun by Robert Taylor (This is the picture of the Zero in the inset)  . This valuable numbered  companion print is signed by 64-victory fighter ace Saburo Sakai and initialed by  Robert Taylor. 18"x 13 ½"......#0007818 

This Book is No Longer Available.

In this highly anticipated collection, artist Robert Taylor has selected some of his most acclaimed paintings, along with new works  never before published in book form. His notes for each painting provide historical context and background information on the aircraft, pilots, and missions depicted. Aircraft featured include a B-17, P-51, Spitfire, Bf 109, and more. 128 pgs., 60 color  paintings, 60 B&W drawings, 11¼"x 9", sfbd.

This autobiography is the story of a cook in the Army Air Corps. Witness his unauthorized move from the kitchen to life as an aerial  gunner on a B-17 in the unfriendly skies of Europe. Share in his life as he fights for  his country while snatching moments of relief between missions. You'll see firsthand  the courage and determination that was so common in the Mighty 8th. 204 pgs., 24  B&W photos, 5½"x 8½", sfbd......#0005611

In 1944, as World War II is raging across Europe, fifteen-year-old Jack Raab dreams of being a hero. Leaving New York City, his   family, and his boyhood behind, Jack uses a false I.D. and lies his way into the U.S. Air Force.

From their base in England, he and his crew fly twenty-four treacherous bombing missions over occupied Europe. The war is almost over and Hitler near defeat when they fly their last mission -- a mission destined for disaster. Shot down far behind enemy lines, Jack is taken  prisoner and sent to a German POW camp, where his experiences are more terrifying than anything he'd ever imagined. 

About the Author 
Harry Mazer's The Last Mission is drawn closely from his experiences as a seventeen-year-old in the Army Air Corps. Like Jack, he  was a Jewish boy from the Bronx full of fantasies about heroism, and like Jack, he became a waist gunner and never fired his guns. He  remembers, "I was scared every time we flew....On our 26th mission we flew over Pilzen, Czechoslovakia, to bomb the Skoda Munitions Works. We missed our target, turned over the target again, and were hit. I saw Mike, who was our radio operator, frozen in the door of  the radio room. He never made it out of the plane. Only three of us parachuted....No one in the plane lived." ( ALAN Review, Fall 1980)

A detailed photo essay on the B-17G featuring the "Mary Alice" that is on display at  the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, England and that is almost certainly the best  restored and preserved Flying Fortress in the world. An amazing 450 photos and  dozens of technical diagrams thoroughly document all the systems on the airplane.  The ultimate technical reference for the modeler or the history buff. 96 pgs., 10"x 10", sfbd.

This Book is No Longer Available.

On February 25, 1944, the B-17 of Tomlin's Crew was shot down by  fighters on a raid to a Regensburg Messerschmitt factory. The wounded crew bailed  out of the heavily-damaged plane and spent the rest of the war as POWs. This is a  dramatic story from crew training, through combat and POW days, as told by the  bombardier. Illustrated, 296 pgs., 6"x 9",sfbd.

The thrilling escape and evasion story of a young American B-17 pilot  shot down over France in 1943. Lt. James Armstrong of the 384th Bomb Group was  on his 11th combat mission and had just bombed the important target of Stuttgart,  Germany when a determined German fighter aircraft suddenly attacked his bomber. In the blink of an eye, he and his crew were fighting for their lives, on fire and going down in flames. His experience is one of the epic escape and evasion stories of  WWII. 228 pgs., 89 photos and illustrations, 5¼"x 8½", sfbd......#0005223

Book Description 
A memoir about the author who enlisted in World War II and became a tail gunner on a B-17, in Army  Air Corps, 8th Air Force, 452nd Bomb Group, 728th Bomb Squadron, stationed in England and flying over Germany. Moramarco's plane was shot down over Hamburg and he was taken POW, classified MIA. He was liberated by Patton. Nick Moramarco now suffers post-traumatic stress disorder, or shell-shock as they called it then. 

From the Publisher 
An American POW During WWII: Survival Then and Now In 1943, young Nick Moramarco, a Southern California boy of Italian-American heritage, found himself turning from a boy into a man in several giant steps: he quarreled with his older brother and his  father, thus asserting his own independent mind; he fell in love and got engaged to his high school sweetheart, Marie Santiago; he  graduated from Lincoln High School; and he joined the U.S. Army to fight in World War II. This last step, joining the Army, was to have  a profound and lasting step on Nick's life. It was a decision that led to travel and responsibility, danger and adventure, and the kind of  trauma from which there is no recovery. He still suffers from what is known as post-traumatic stress disorder. And no wonder. 

About the Author 
Following the war, Nick Moramarco was awarded two Air Medals, the Purple Heart, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Soldier's Conduct Medal, the European Combat Medal, and the Victory Medal. he worked for many years for the County of Los Angeles, and as a volunteer helping Korean War vets, the developmentally disabled, and the handicapped. He currently lives in Temple City, California.
ISBN-10: 1564742695

A detailed history of  one of the 1st pioneer groups in the 8th Air Force flying the B-17 out of Bassingbourn, England through three years of continuous combat. Detailed accounts  of the 340 missions flown. Listing of aircraft by number and names, plus aircraft losses by date, location and serial number. Included is a "Roll of Honor" of those killed  or missing in action. 320 pgs., over 400 B&W and color illustrations, 8½"x 11", hdbd.....#0001265

Although it was far from the most produced bomber of WWII, the B-17  Flying Fortress has come to symbolize strategic bombardment during WWII. Here is a  photo essay "walk around" of this popular craft featuring both period photos and restored B-17s. 79 pgs., 100 color and B&W photos, and several technical diagrams. 11"x 8¼", sfbd......#0002190

95th Bomb Group. Excellent history documents the activities of the 95th  through fiery crashes, terrifying captures, heart-pounding escapes, friendships, and  the missions to Berlin, Keil and Munster among others. Told from personal experiences of the men who were there including the author. 200 photos. 310 pgs. 6½"x 9½",  sfbd. ISBN-10: 0028811291

A war time tour of restricted aircraft plants. Consists of 258 large, crisp  photos taken inside U.S. aircraft plants during the war. You name it, see it being assembled: P-38s, Hellcats, B-17s, Corsairs, etc. 179 pgs., 8¾"x 11¾", sfbd......#0004753

This Book is No Longer Available.

The personal stories of 40 men who crewed B-17Gs with the 457th Bomb  Squadron. Each has a chilling tale of being shot down over Europe, and relates the  trauma of injuries, or prison camp survival. Some of the most gripping and tragic stories this reviewer has ever read. Illustrated, 272 pgs., 6"x 9", sfbd.

Book Description 
Incorporating a wealth of new material, here is the riveting story of the bombing raids  that broke the back of Nazi Germany, praised as "a well-researched, highly readable  account of a B-17 combat crew's experience ... excellent" (Roger A. Freeman, author  of The Mighty Eighth). 

This Book is No Longer Available.

Tells for  the first time the complete story of the B-17 as the Navy PB-1W and Coast Guard  PB-1G. Detailed history of acquisition, modification, squadron service, and eventual disposal. Includes individual aircraft histories of over 50 B-17s used by the Navy and  Coast Guard. Detailed appendices with serials, paint schemes. 152 photos, 120 pgs.,  8½"x 11", sfbd.

This Book is No Longer Available.

This is the story of the B-17, told clearly and  concisely, not just in technical terms, but also in the words of the men who trusted  their lives to it. Packed with action photographs, specially commissioned illustrations,  and full specifications and comparison data, you'll get a real feel for how the B-17 performed in combat and stacked up against its rivals of the day. 96 pgs., 50 B&W and 25 color photos and illustrations, 8½"x 11¼", hdbd

against Hitler's Germany while serving as a bombardier on a B-17 of the fabled Eight Air Force.

Amazon.com 
Moritz Thomsen was born into a wealthy American family in Hollywood in 1915, but spent the last decades of his life living a among the poor in Ecuador. He became known as a good writer with a small and devoted following. He passed away in 1993, but left behind this moving autobiography which focuses on the two colossal struggles of his life: one against a tyrannical father while seeking to escape his family and become a writer; the other against Hitler's Germany while serving as a bombardier on a B-17 of the fabled Eight Air Force.  My Two Wars is an unusual and remarkable book, very much the reflection of an irascible but oddly charming man. 

"I read My Two Wars in an elegiac mood. It's sad to think it's the last new work to be read by Moritz Thomsen... I've come away from each of his other four books feeling exhilarated -- not because of what happens in them, but because the writing is so good." -- Larry McMurtry  ISBN-10: 188364206X

The true story of the disastrous second raid on Schweinfurt 14 October, 1943.  The Eighth Air Force lost air superiority that day, the 305th lost 45 of 60 B-17s... the  Luftwaffe fighters had a field day. Documented mistakes and poor leader-ship by air  commanders caused unnecessary losses. Documented and illustrated, 240 pgs., 6"x  9", hdbd......#0004187

The B-17 Flying Fortress Story
by Roger A. Freeman, David Osborne (Contributor)

Book Description
The B-17 Flying Fortress – the most successful US bomber of the Second World War Full design, production and modification record Extensively illustrated Operational history of every individual aircraft

About the Author
As a boy, Roger Freeman watched from his father's farm as the 8th Air Force took off for its missions over Germany; he has had a lifelong interest in the Mighty Eighth ever since, and now lectures on USAAF history, both here and in America.
 

ISBN: 1854095226

This Book is No Longer Available.

A significant WWII title on aviation and politics, this is the saga of the  Bowman's Bombers of the 401st Bomb Group who flew a B-17 named "Maiden U.S.A."  When the ship was shot down after a bombing raid on Berlin, its crew flew into  Russian-occupied territory where they were held incommunicado for seven weeks. An outstanding work that delves into an aspect of war not often written about. 256  pgs., 60 B&W photos, 6" x 9", hdbd.

A Dying Breed : The True Story of a World War II Air Combat Crew's  Courage, Camaraderie, Faith, and Spirit 
by Neal B. Dillon 

Book Description 
Meet ten members of the 384th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force: Kaczaraba, Morgan, Wirth, Horsky, Peifer, Parker, Shorty, Gilly,  Gibby, and John Honecutt, the bomber crew's engineer and top turret gunner in  he B-17 they affectionately call "Doc." 

A Dying Breed is the true story of a WW II air combat cres's amazing courage and indomitable spirit during the two years they spent  together flying and surviving in a German POW camp. 

Neal Dillon grew up listening to John Honeycutt--his brother-in-law--tell stories about the crew. Dillon promised him that he would one day write those stories for all to read. John HYoneycutt died in 1992 and this book is the author's promise kept. 

This Book is No Longer Available.

B-17s on the production line and performing their tasks over Europe and the Pacific. A great section of WWII color and period advertising pieces. Appendices, scale drawings and a double-page cutaway highlight this volume. 144 pgs., 130  photos, 7"x 10", sfbd.

A Real Good War 
by Sam Halpert 
Paperback - 288 pages 
Reprint edition (June 15, 1999) 

The New York Times Book Review, Peter Bricklebank
The novel's plot is a familiar one, its terrain even more so. What makes this book engrossing is its evocation of the fine line between a close call and a tragedy, not to mention the way guilt is detonated by war's deadly absurdity.--
 

ISBN: 0385496184 

Book Description 
renowned writer's WWII memoirs, bilingual edition 
ISBN-10: 0517549859

The Lady : 
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 
Paul Perkins, et al / Paperback / Published 1993 

Book Description 
The first volume in the "Living History" series on WWII aircraft and the individuals who flew them, THE LADY illustrates specific crew positions, the equipment they used, and what they saw inside and outside the legendary Flying Fortress. 58 color photos, 47 b&w photos. 

 

ISBN: 0943231582

The Lucky Bastard Club : 
A B-17 Pilot in Training and in Combat,
1943-45/Mister Fletcher's Gang/2 Books in 1 Volume ~
Eugene Fletcher / Hardcover / Published 1998

ISBN: 0295972327

   ISBN: 0879388811 

Fletcher's Gang :
A B-17 Crew in Europe, 1944-45 
Eugene Fletcher / Hardcover / Published 1988 

 

ISBN: 0295966041

   ISBN: 0711006865 

 

ISBN: 0816850127

 

ISBN: 0879387475

ISBN: 0916856518 

This is the very interesting story of the only aircraft to fly from the beginning to the end of the Second World War and is still in existance. It is also the only early model B-17 still in existance, it is currently in storage at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum's Garber Facility. I didn't expect much when I first picked up this book because I knew that the Swoose didn't fly combat for very long, but was surprised to find how interesting of a history it had after becoming a transport plane. And the story didn't become any less interesting after the war ended. It is truly amazing that this aircraft survived the first several months of the war much less the post war era. This book is a must read for any B-17 enthusiast.

 

ISBN: 1560981962

 

ISBN: 0130567132

 ISBN: 081685646X 

ISBN: 0897450698

 

ISBN: 0091269407

 

ISBN: 0962097500

. ISBN: 0830680217

 
 

ISBN: 0962137499

 

ISBN: 0850594642

 

ISBN: 0816850291

 

ISBN: 0816850216

 

ISBN: 0831714069

 

ISBN: 0385038550

 

ISBN: 0668022965

 
 

ISBN: 089747189X

 ISBN: 0897471806

 

ISBN: 1852603283

 ISBN: 1561630071 

 

ISBN: 0850450179